Page 74 of Boyfriend
“Yup.”
We traipse back to the luxury car with its leather seats and the radio tuned to Vermont Public Radio.
But the scent of roses lingers all the way back to town.
* * *
Dalton takes me to The Farmhouse on Bank Street for lunch, where I discover that I'm famished. I order the burger with bacon and an excruciatingly locavore salad, and eat everything on my plate.
My lunch companion has a crab cake and a craft beer. We are shoring ourselves up, I suppose. But after the plates are cleared away, our conversation is still flagging. I feel as hollow as the environmentally correct paper straw that I keep worrying with my fingers.
Then Dalton breaks the silence with small talk about Vermont Tartan. “Taft said he hired you for some extra part-time hours after your internship ended.”
“He did,” I agree. “I was happy to do it, and his recommendation will help me get a job. Hopefully.”
“He’ll give you a glowing recommendation. But I don't understand why you two aren’t going to work together after graduation.”
I feel too weary to explain all the ways that social media jobs can be a trap. I'd be stuck taking pictures of Taft’s dogs forever. “But it's such a small business,” I point out. “It's Taft and Connie's baby. There’s no room for me to do more than the social media stuff that they hate.”
"Well, I told Taft that he's not thinking big enough,” Dalton says. “Maybe they need someone like you to help them strategize for capturing a younger demographic."
"That's nice of you to say. But their daughter is coming aboard this summer, so they already have some new help.”
“Alexis?” Dalton looks surprised. “I hadn’t realized she was moving back to Vermont.”
“True story.” I’ve already met Alexis. She has two really cute toddlers and a perky outlook that is probably just what the business needs.
“Okay. Any other good job prospects?” Dalton asks.
“Let’s not make this day any more depressing than it already is.”
He shakes his head and gives me a smile. “All right. But if you need me to shake the trees at the country club, just say the word. Somebody will have something. Even if it’s just temporary.”
“I will absolutely keep that in mind,” I say. Although it would feel like a huge step backward if I end up doing the bookkeeping for one of Dalton’s doctor friends and picking up extra shifts at the Biscuit. I want a fresh start so badly.
“Some company is going to be very lucky to have you, Abbi. Just hang in there. And if you need to move back home after graduation, you know you could have your old room back.”
My eyes fly to his in surprise. I don’t even know what to say right now. Moving in with him is not an option. But it’s nice of him to think it is.
“Your mother isn’t here to look after you,” he says gently. “The least I can do for her is to make sure you’re okay.”
“Thank you,” I squeak. There’s a new lump in my throat now.
“I know you’d prefer to be independent. Lord knows Price doesn’t mind leaning on me a little. There’s no reason you shouldn’t do the same.”
I swallow hard. And I’m this close to telling him why I can’t live in a house where Price lives.
But then I remember what that would mean—driving a wedge between Dalton and his new wife. I know Dalton pretty well by now. If I were forceful, he’d listen. But then I’d have to follow through. Dalton would probably make us all sit down as a “family” and talk to Price about boundaries.
Some people never learn boundaries, though. Price is one of those people.
The best thing to do is to stay the course. There has to be a good job out there somewhere for me. There are still three months until graduation. I’ll find one.
I’ll have to.
* * *
The very next day I get a rejection letter for the competitive training program in New York. Then I get a rejection from one of the social media jobs too.
